Believe it or not, this post isn’t really about cutting
nails, and so I will not go into technique here.  It is
about the inevitability (and necessity) of discomfort, however, and how we cannot, no matter
how hard we try, prevent the occasional negative event from happening to our
dogs. 



Case in point.  I know
a Maltese mix (let’s call him Pete) who, though a wonderful, focused little
guy, suffers from profound separation anxiety when his “mommy” leaves the room,
even for a moment.  He’ll cry, pace,
scratch at doors, and act as if the world is literally coming to an end.  He’s never been allowed to socialize properly,
gets coddled through every event, sleeps with his “mommy” like an infant, and
is allowed to hover beside her even during human dinnertime, when he usually
gets a few tidbits tossed down to him. 




You cannot prevent your dog from experiencing trauma,
sometime in his life.  To that end,
accept the fact that all sentient beings experience both positive and negative
events, and must therefore be ready for them, armed with an attitude of
confidence and autonomy, and the ability to shrug it off and move on.